County of church: Cooper County
Location of church: State Hwy B, just S of MO-KK, Lone Elm
Built: 1949
Architectural Style: Gothic Revival
Pastor: Paul Weisenborn
"The Zion Lutheran Church at Lone Elm began in a building still in use as a school on Highway B in Cooper County. In 1896, the Trinity Lutheran Church at Clark's Fork had released 25 members to form a congregation nearer their homes. The four mile trip was difficult on the bad roads of the time.
"Dr. Kelly sold the Lutherans two acres with a house to be used for the Pastor, Rev. Henry Schaefer. A few miles to the West the old Concord Christian Church had closed so the industrious group
salvaged it and rebuilt it on their land. It became their schoolhouse and temporary church.
"It is said that 100 students began classes the first day under tutorship of C.F.G. Duesenberg! With older students helping younger ones, grades 1-8 were taught in the German language. The Zion
Lutheran School has continued to this day with extra classrooms and teachers.
"The state charter was issued March 3, 1897, to the "Zion Church of the German Evangelical Lutheran Congregation at Lone Elm." The same year five more acres were purchased from William Twillman south of the Lone Elm store for a new church, parsonage and cemetery.
"The Bunceton Eagle described the new church as being very impressive; frame construction in American Gothic style, a bell tower 80' high including a 6' cross on top, gabled ends, stained glass throughout, an organ loft reached by a spiral staircase to a balcony which seated 80 people. The organ contained 600 pipes, 19 of which were decorated. Lighting was provided by a chandelier of twelve oil lamps raised and lowered by a pulley. 2000 worshippers attended the dedication.
"In the beginning, services and instruction were all performed in German. However, as succeeding generations grew up an English service was added. As growth continued the Bunceton Lutherans separated to meet in the Princess Theatre building and form the Grace Lutheran congregation.
"On February 8, 1948, the Zion Church was completely destroyed by fire and with it a treasury of wood carvings and sculpture. Within two years, however, the present brick and limestone structure was completed at the same location, a Lone Elm landmark.
"Lone Elm Prairie was named for a tree which once stood southwest of the village on the Oglesby farm. Trees were a rarity on Cooper County prairie land as the tough grasses resisted the growth of trees." ~ Cooper MoGeneb